Head of Finance

We are delighted to be able to support a Further Education College that is part of a larger Group with their search for a Permanent Head of Finance into a newly created position. This role will be based in Skelmersdale.

You will work very closely with the Director of Curriculum & Director of Quality to support them with delivering an efficient curriculum. You will also be expected to present information to them on a monthly basis and tell the story behind the numbers to non-Finance people. In addition, you will be expected to become a completely trusted resource in the team. You will have responsibility for a Finance Officer, Finance Assistant & Apprentice Assistant.

Duties will include:

- Providing leadership of the college finances to enable effective planning, budgeting & monitoring, ensuring accurate & timely financial information to key stakeholders- Ensuring that all applicable funding is claimed- Taking responsibility for a local budget of £11m - Providing line management support for the Finance department in order to meet the organisation's strategic & operational objectives- Ensuring the work produced by the team is completed to a high quality & meets the requirements of internal and external auditors

Experience / Qualifications required:

- It would be useful if you have previous work experience as a Business Analyst as you would be able to test the Curriculum Lead and steer them in areas of the business that they can make more money out - College / University experience would be helpful but not essential. If you have previously managed in an Academy structure, this will be favourable.- Must be super-organised and be on top of everything on a monthly basis. You should be a very proactive individual who can produce ideas & solutions without prompting.- Fully Qualified Accountant- Good standard of Education- Management Qualification would be preferable, such as ILM Level 3 or CMI- Experience of managing a Finance team / department- Extensive understanding of double entry book keeping- Experience of preparing monthly management reports- Excellent skills in analysing, interpreting and using complex data- Good self-management & organisational skills- Excellent communication skills- Ability to work under pressure- Good attention to detail- Ability to build a successful team- Experience of coordinating budget & reforecast programme would be advantageous

This role will pay a salary of £41,916 + 35 days Holiday + Bank Holidays + Local Government Pension scheme + Free Parking + Retail discounts. You will have the ability to take your holidays in term time. Hours of work are 37 hours per week, 8:45am - 5pm, with an early finish on Friday at 4:30pm. Flexible working & TOIL is on offer.

This organisation operate a very open & honest culture and really live by their company values. They are based on a modern campus which has a real community spirit. It is a really fun place to work, everyone works well as part of a team and many of the staff have been there in excess of 20 years! There are also extensive opportunities for further self-development.

My Client is looking for interviews to take place on Wednesday 23rd August and will look to appoint soon after this time. If you're interested, please send me your CV by 5:30pm on Tuesday 8th August.

Reed Specialist Recruitment Limited is an employment agency and employment business